Thank you for the Self Improvement rec! Going to check them out today. I’m a sucker for anything in the Joy Division realm - I may be guilty of having a mild obsession with Ian Curtis’s lyrics. I love Heartworms for Punishment and Paper Lady’s albums so I’m happy to see they made the list.
Also, I love your stance on going in blind when listening to new music! And fwiw, I think you are someone special! 🖤
I’m fully on board re: reviews as spoilers! I usually try to avoid reading any comments before listening to an album as well.
Glad you put Self Improvement here! I also have a soft spot for post punk of that ilk. Norman Sann and Deradoorian are intriguing as well, will be checking them out.
I didn’t get an alert about this post so I’m late to the party. Really enjoying the format and the picks - the emphasis of smaller artists makes this so much more refreshing. Even though I’ve followed all year and talk to you a fair bit, I still have no idea what the next two lists will look like which is exciting!
the process is making me ignore some of my favorite records this year but at the same time I know nobody is going to forget about those because I don't mention them
Yes exactly. Everyone should have had a chance to form an opinion on Wednesday by this point. EOY brings maximum eyeballs —No Ripcord’s Bubbling Under feature received 30x more page views in the first 24 hours compared to a standard review—so it’s great to use it as a platform for smaller artists. I didn’t apply any rules, as such, but my listening has skewed that way this year anyway.
I think you mean Pip Blom, not Pom Poko in the Long Fling entry. I wasn't lucky enough to get to see them when they did their short tour, but I've seen Pip a few times and got the LF album on vinyl from her Bandcamp.
I’ve been hearing about Rocket from a few different people and will check that out ASAP! I do a Top 25, which includes the albums I played the most almost without thinking, and then genre-specific lists to capture all the other excellent music I heard during the year. I’m now at the point where I dumped all the post-July releases with Top 25 potential into a list with those on the mid-year Best Of list and it’s over 40 albums…
Gelli Haha is on my fave songs and albums of 2025 list! SPELLLING juuuuuuust missed both. And it turns out this has been an absurdly long year, because i truly thought the Deradoorian record was from 2024 and was initially taken aback to see it here LOL it's a great album though. and I probably should give the Saya Gray record another chance
Some good recs on here I haven’t seen elsewhere. Your system is working! It’s hard to separate what I like and expect to see vs what I like and hope to see, but I’ll cross my fingers for Little Barrie, Kathryn Joseph, Charlie Needs Braces, The Happy Fits, MOLT, Cloakroom, Candelabro, and Baxter Dury. Thanks Gabbie!
More than half of these are also on my list this year, which I am currently toiling away on. Spellling, Saya, Gelli, and Heartworms all came out pretty high up there for me!
I'd say my list is finalized for sharing, but I still have some albums to check out.
SPELLLING and The Convenience are in my top 50, but I listened to way fewer albums than you. Rocket and Titanic a bit behind those. Greg Freeman a bit ahead of them. I will be checking out Deradoorian, Norman Sann, Self Improvement, and Your Grandparents.
I know this is silly, but I couldn't get past that SAYA album cover. I see it everywhere, so I'm sure I'm missing out on something great. Nevertheless...
If nothing else, I hope a bunch of people see "Switcheroo," and give it a spin. It's one of this year's faves for me.
Have I finished my EOY lists? lol. Absolutely not. My highly scientific, totally rational system involves scribbling them all on a piece of teletype paper, then slowly splitting them out into Top 10, next 10, etc.
UPDATE: it’s good! Listening to it as I type this. it’s clear why so many people are enjoying it. I legit thought it would be more of a “faster” record, you know; assumptions and all that.
Yes- I’ve seen the Saya album cover several places, but now I’m going to have to check it out. My Alexa plays random stuff sometimes, and I will take a pic when I like a song to remember to go check it out further (I so rarely go back through pics though lol)- and I’m certain there was a song off this album I heard and liked.
That Heartworms record is such an earworm. Thanks for that rec!
Saw Rocket live w/Sunny Day Real Estate in 2024. Whatever pours out of Rocket, I'm drinking.
DUDE the Gelli Haha release is soooo good.
Also loving the idea of not reading reviews.
i just can't take the pressure
Right? Easily one of my fave records this year.
Thank you for the Self Improvement rec! Going to check them out today. I’m a sucker for anything in the Joy Division realm - I may be guilty of having a mild obsession with Ian Curtis’s lyrics. I love Heartworms for Punishment and Paper Lady’s albums so I’m happy to see they made the list.
Also, I love your stance on going in blind when listening to new music! And fwiw, I think you are someone special! 🖤
i haven't seen much of self improvement anywhere so I'm happy to hype them a bit
I’m fully on board re: reviews as spoilers! I usually try to avoid reading any comments before listening to an album as well.
Glad you put Self Improvement here! I also have a soft spot for post punk of that ilk. Norman Sann and Deradoorian are intriguing as well, will be checking them out.
i also try to listen without knowing anything as much as possible. usually it's very difficult though!
I didn’t get an alert about this post so I’m late to the party. Really enjoying the format and the picks - the emphasis of smaller artists makes this so much more refreshing. Even though I’ve followed all year and talk to you a fair bit, I still have no idea what the next two lists will look like which is exciting!
the process is making me ignore some of my favorite records this year but at the same time I know nobody is going to forget about those because I don't mention them
Yes exactly. Everyone should have had a chance to form an opinion on Wednesday by this point. EOY brings maximum eyeballs —No Ripcord’s Bubbling Under feature received 30x more page views in the first 24 hours compared to a standard review—so it’s great to use it as a platform for smaller artists. I didn’t apply any rules, as such, but my listening has skewed that way this year anyway.
I think you mean Pip Blom, not Pom Poko in the Long Fling entry. I wasn't lucky enough to get to see them when they did their short tour, but I've seen Pip a few times and got the LF album on vinyl from her Bandcamp.
yes I do thank you for the catch!!
I’ve been hearing about Rocket from a few different people and will check that out ASAP! I do a Top 25, which includes the albums I played the most almost without thinking, and then genre-specific lists to capture all the other excellent music I heard during the year. I’m now at the point where I dumped all the post-July releases with Top 25 potential into a list with those on the mid-year Best Of list and it’s over 40 albums…
for my midyear I did albums that I played the most and I liked that approach as well
mouse house off of long fling plays in my head on repeat. love this list!!
yesss
Your year-end lists are one of my favorite ways to find new music. Never stop, never change.
aww man that's awesome thank you
Gelli Haha is on my fave songs and albums of 2025 list! SPELLLING juuuuuuust missed both. And it turns out this has been an absurdly long year, because i truly thought the Deradoorian record was from 2024 and was initially taken aback to see it here LOL it's a great album though. and I probably should give the Saya Gray record another chance
ha ha I know what you mean. it's been such a long year!
Some good recs on here I haven’t seen elsewhere. Your system is working! It’s hard to separate what I like and expect to see vs what I like and hope to see, but I’ll cross my fingers for Little Barrie, Kathryn Joseph, Charlie Needs Braces, The Happy Fits, MOLT, Cloakroom, Candelabro, and Baxter Dury. Thanks Gabbie!
TBD! either way I'll publish an extra list for paid subs I think
Thanks for the reminder to check out Switcheroo! Bounce House has been on high rotation for me for a few months now
More than half of these are also on my list this year, which I am currently toiling away on. Spellling, Saya, Gelli, and Heartworms all came out pretty high up there for me!
I'm not surprised at all
I'd say my list is finalized for sharing, but I still have some albums to check out.
SPELLLING and The Convenience are in my top 50, but I listened to way fewer albums than you. Rocket and Titanic a bit behind those. Greg Freeman a bit ahead of them. I will be checking out Deradoorian, Norman Sann, Self Improvement, and Your Grandparents.
delightful!
I know this is silly, but I couldn't get past that SAYA album cover. I see it everywhere, so I'm sure I'm missing out on something great. Nevertheless...
If nothing else, I hope a bunch of people see "Switcheroo," and give it a spin. It's one of this year's faves for me.
Have I finished my EOY lists? lol. Absolutely not. My highly scientific, totally rational system involves scribbling them all on a piece of teletype paper, then slowly splitting them out into Top 10, next 10, etc.
if you do check it out I obviously must know your thoughts
UPDATE: it’s good! Listening to it as I type this. it’s clear why so many people are enjoying it. I legit thought it would be more of a “faster” record, you know; assumptions and all that.
My fave so far is “Puddle (of Me)”
That’s one of my standouts from the album.
Yes- I’ve seen the Saya album cover several places, but now I’m going to have to check it out. My Alexa plays random stuff sometimes, and I will take a pic when I like a song to remember to go check it out further (I so rarely go back through pics though lol)- and I’m certain there was a song off this album I heard and liked.